Politicians and diapers

Dear Editor,

As I've been following the run-up to the upcoming elections, particularly in the last month, I have grown increasingly disgusted and disappointed.

Political mud is being slung in all directions, and from all directions. Nelson vs. Ricketts, Christensen vs. Shoemaker, Hoyt vs. Batty.  (Wait ... there's only one politician in that last pairing ... )

If they're not accusing the other of doing precisely what they're doing, they're struggling to portray themselves as "more 'pro-life' than thou."

I hope I'm not giving my fellow citizens too much credit by believing that they care about more than one issue.

Before the primaries, I received a letter from a campaign worker for one candidate, asking if I would write letters to the editor supporting his candidate.  I'm guessing that they were impressed by previous letters of mine.

They were apparently too obtuse to take note of the utter contempt I expressed in those very same letters for political shills of the very same sort they were so shamelessly attempting to recruit. (Here's your letter, by the way. Be glad I'm not naming names.) 

Likewise, I was recently ribbing a friend of mine about the candidate's sign in his yard. I cannot imagine any two people with more divergent views than my friend and this particular candidate. I was surprised when he told me that no one had bothered to ask his permission to post the sign.

I've seen a LOT of those signs, and can't help but wonder how many of them are being merely tolerated, while presenting a misleading picture of the candidate's true level of support. Perhaps money can't buy you love, but it'll obviously buy a heckuva lot of signs.

 Regarding this "glass half full, glass half empty" business, it occurs to me that no matter which way you choose to view the glass, the fact remains that you have twice as much space in the glass as you have water to fill it.  Hundreds of readers are no doubt scratching their heads, wondering why anyone would choose that particular analogy, thereby perfectly illustrating his opponent's point.

The fact that this was applied to a debate regarding 30 beds versus 15 (precisely half) only adds to the hilarity.

 I see no shining stars in the upcoming election, be they Republican, Democrat, or Independent. At the end of the political day, I see only the truth in the following saying:

"Politicians, like diapers, should be changed frequently ... and for the same reason." 

Owen J. McPhillips

McCook